Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

सहस्त्रपादाक्षिशिरो ऽभियुक्तं सहस्त्रबाहुं नमसः परस्तात् / त्वां ब्रहामपारं प्रणमामि शंभुं हिरण्यगर्भाधिपतिं त्रिनेत्रम्

Transliteration

sahastrapādākṣiśiro 'bhiyuktaṃ sahastrabāhuṃ namasaḥ parastāt / tvāṃ brahāmapāraṃ praṇamāmi śaṃbhuṃ hiraṇyagarbhādhipatiṃ trinetram

Translation

Sumasamba ako sa Iyo, O Śambhu—na may sanlibong paa, mata, at ulo, at sanlibong bisig—na lampas sa lahat ng pagbati at pagpupugay. Nagpapatirapa ako sa Iyo, ang walang-hanggang Kataas-taasang Brahman, ang Panginoon ng Hiraṇyagarbha (sinapupunang kosmiko), ang Tatlong-Mata.

Word by Word

• sahasra: thousand
• sahasra: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used as first member in compounds; (in compounds, stem form)

• pāda: foot
• pāda: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form in compound

• akṣi: eye
• akṣi: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form in compound

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; here as final member in compound-base ‘śiraḥ’

• sahastrapādākṣiśiraḥ: having a thousand feet, eyes, and heads
• sahastrapādākṣiśiraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra + pāda + akṣi + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘he whose feet, eyes, and heads are thousand(-fold)’; qualifies tvām/śaṃbhum

• abhiyuktam: endowed, furnished
• abhiyuktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-yuj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘endowed/engaged/appointed’

• sahastrabāhum: having a thousand arms
• sahastrabāhum: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘having a thousand arms’

• namasaḥ: from salutation / in reverence
• namasaḥ: Kāraṇa/Apādāna (करण/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; used adverbially ‘from/than salutation’ i.e., ‘by way of salutation’

• parastāt: beyond, above
• parastāt: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: parastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb) ‘beyond, above’

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• brahāmapāram: beyond Brahman / limitless
• brahāmapāram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + apāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; reading per given text ‘brahāmapāraṃ’ (likely brahmapāram/apāram): ‘beyond Brahman / of limitless Brahman’

• praṇamāmi: I bow to
• praṇamāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-nam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• śaṃbhum: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• hiraṇyagarbhādhipatim: lord of Hiraṇyagarbha
• hiraṇyagarbhādhipatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇyagarbha + adhipati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘lord of Hiraṇyagarbha’

• trinetram: three-eyed
• trinetram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; द्विगु: ‘three-eyed’ (tri-netra)

Speaker

A devotee/narrative voice offering a Śaiva stuti within the Purva-bhāga context (hymnic praise addressed to Śiva as Supreme).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Śambhu)
• Brahman
• Hiraṇyagarbha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By calling Śambhu the “limitless Brahman” (brahmāparāṃ), the verse identifies the deity not merely as a personal god but as the boundless Absolute—suggesting that the supreme reality underlying the cosmos is one, infinite, and beyond conceptual praise.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports upāsanā (contemplative worship) through meditation on the Lord’s cosmic form (sahasra-pāda/akṣi/śiras/bāhu). Such visualization functions as an aid to ekāgratā (one-pointedness), aligning with Purāṇic-Śaiva disciplines that culminate in realizing the Lord as Brahman.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By presenting Śiva as “Brahman” and “Lord of Hiraṇyagarbha,” the verse frames Śiva in universal, supra-sectarian terms—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where the supreme reality can be praised through Śaiva language while remaining compatible with Vaiṣṇava cosmology and non-dual theology.